Method and device for interconnecting thin paper webs or sheets along defined areas

ABSTRACT

1,042,556. Coating webs. G. J. O. WELINBERGER. Oct. 13, 1964 [Oct. 14,1963], No. 41717/64. Heading D1L. [Also in Division B5] An apparatus for interconnecting webs of fibrous material such as paper along defined areas comprises means 11 and 11&lt;SP&gt;1&lt;/SP&gt; for moistening at least one of the webs, means 16, 18 or 22 for applying a adhesive to one or more defined areas on those sides of the paper webs which are remote from each other and means 9 and 10, 5 (Fig. 3) and 20 and 21 for uniting the webs. The apparatus shown in Fig. 4 also comprises a drying roller 26, a hot air drying device 33 and a punch 43 for cutting the laminate as shown in Fig. 8. The adhesive transmitting roller 22 has ribs 34 having 2 parallel projections 35 and 36 each of which may have a longitudinal groove 37.

G. J. O. WELINBERGER METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INTERCONNECTING THIN PAPER WEBS OR May 26, 1970 3,514,355

SHEETS ALONG DEFINED AREAS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 12, 1964 FIG. 3

INVENTOR. Guy J 0. mam-55w May 26, 1970 ca. J. o. WELIN-BERGER 3, 4,35

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INTERCONNECTING THIN PAPER WEBS OR SHEETS ALONG DEFINED AREAS Filed Oct. 12, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 'w 0 WELl/V-fifKG'fE BY w JM United States Patent 3,514,355 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR INTERCONNECTING THIN PAPER WEBS OR SHEETS ALONG DE- FINED AREAS Guy John 0101: Welin-Berger, Parkgrand 4,

Nacka, Sweden Filed Oct. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 403,171 Claims priority, application Sweden, Oct. 14, 1963, 11,271/63 Int. Cl. B32b 7/14 US. Cl. 156-291 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Thin fibrous webs (including sheets) are adhesively interconnected along selected areas by moistening at least one of the webs and applying adhesive to a restricted area on the side of at least one of the webs which is opposite or remote from the other web, after which the webs are pressed together. This is in contrast to the previous methods of applying the adhesive be tween the webs and avoids the adhesive being squeezed out between the webs over areas that should not adhere. The moistening of the' webs permits the adhesive to permeate the region of the interface between the webs =by capillarity.

In a certain production of articles of paper where individual webs or sheets are glued or pasted together it is important to glue with precision so that the adhesive is applied exactly to the area or areas where it is intended to be effective. The most common method of gluing together a pair of sheets of paper consists in applying adhesive to one side of one sheet whereupon the sheets are put together with the side of the sheet coated with adhesive facing the other sheet. The sheets are often pressed together in combination with the gluing operation in which case the adhesive between the sheets is likely to be laterally squeezed out with the result that the sheets are interconnected along an area which is greater than the area to which the adhesive has been applied. This area is usually irregular and may vary as the case may be even if the adhesive is applied in the same manner in the various cases.

The object of this invention is to avoid the above named inconvenience and to provide a method and an apparatus which renders it possible to confine the connection to areas the shape and size of which can be predetermined. The invention can be applied to sheets or Webs of paper or other similar fibrous material of any desired shape but is especially suitable in the production of articles the basic material of which consists of thin paper webs. In this case the production can take place continuously in a high speed apparatus permitting mass production. In the following description the terms web or webs also include sheets of any desired shape.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for carrying the method into effect. In its broadest aspect the method is characterized by moistening the paper webs or the like or one of them and applying an adhesive to one or more defined areas on those sides of the paper webs which are remote from each other or intended to be turned from each other or only to one of said sides. The required moisture content of the paper is at least in some degree dependent on the quality of the paper and also on the moisture content of the atmosphere in which the method is performed.

Paper having a smooth and calendered surface requires more moisture than porous paper having a coarse surface. Particularly, the invention is concerned with thin ice paper of the type used for infusion bags for tea. The weight of such paper is about 15-20 grams per square meter.

In its broadest aspect the apparatus is characterized in that it comprises a device for moistening one or both of two webs or sheets to be glued together and a device for applying an adhesive to those sides of the webs which are remote from each other or intended to be turned from each other or only to one of said sides.

As a result of the moistening of at least one of the webs this web will suck in adhesive which is applied to the other web in spite of the fact that the adhesive is applied to the opposite side of the other web. This capillarity is improved if the paper Webs are put together prior to the application of the adhesive because in this case the moistened paper web will moisten the other web to a certain degree if this other web has not been moistened in another manner, and the paper webs will. closely contact each other after having been put togethe'r and the adhesive will become more readily effective. The astonishing fact has been observed that the adhesive between the paper webs put together is not dispersed even if the paper webs after having been put together are pressed together to obtain the required contact pressure. In fact the paper webs will be glued together exactly along the predetermined area to which the adhesive has been applied.

Additional features of the invention and advantages obtained thereby will appear from the following description of several embodiments. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic lateral elevation and FIG. 2 a corresponding top view of an apparatus by means of which the method according to the invention can be carried into effect. FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modified embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic lateral elevation of an apparatus especial suited for the production of conical sleeves for bobbins used in looms and similar textile machines. FIG. 5 is a top view of an adhesive applying roller comprised in the last-named apparatus. FIGS. 6 and 6a are fragmentary cross-sectional views of different constructions of a detail of said roller. FIG. 7 is a partial sectional elevation of a punch comprised in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is a plane view of part of paper Webs which have been put together .and glued together in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 9 is a latetral view and FIG. 10 an end view of the final product from the apparatus shown in FIG. 4.

In the drawing numerals 1 and 2 denote a pair of thin paper webs which are unwound from supply rolls 3 and 4, respectively. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the two paper webs come into contact with each other at a guide roller 5 and advance together between an adhesive applying roller 6 and a backing roller 7. The webs are advanced in any suitable manner, such as by means of a pair of feed rollers 9, 10. The feed rollers 9, 10 may also act to press the paper webs slightly together to obtain the required contact pressure after the application of the adhesive. A nozzle 11 or other device for producing a fine spray or atomized jet of water along the full width of the web 2 is located such as to moisten the paper web '2 on the side remote from the paper web 1. As viewed in the direction of feed the nozzle is disposed ahead of the place where the webs are put together at the guide roller 5. A similar nozzle 11 may be provided for moistening the other web. If desired only the web 1 may be moistened in this manner. The adhesive applying roller 6 is provided with ribs, pads or similar members 12 which during rotation of the adhesive applying roller succesively come into contact with an adhesive feeding roller 14 which is immersed in a container 15 for adhesive. Adhesive is received on the ribs or pads 12 which then apply the adhesive to the side of the web 1 remote from the web 2. Adhesive is applied to an exactly defined area corresponding to the shape of the rib or pad 12. These areas are denoted at 16 in FIGS. 1 and 2. As viewed in the direction of feed ahead of the feed rollers 9, there is provided a drying device 17 preferably of the type which blows hot air against the webs which have been put together and glued together along the areas 16.

When the moistened paper web 2 comes into contact with the paper web 1 on the opposite side of the areas 16 to which adhesive has been applied the web 2 will suck in part of the adhesive which has found its way through the paper web 1, resulting in an effective bond. The adhesive does not disperse between the paper webs, and the webs are glued together along the area determiend by the shape of the adhesive applying rib or pad 12.

In FIG. 1 the upper one of two superposed paper webs is moistened. Instead thereof the underside of the lower web may be moistened and adhesive may be applied to the upper web as shown in FIG. 3 where the upper web is indicated at 1 and the lower one at 2. In this case the adhesive applying device is illustrated in the form of a pad 18 which is rapidly reciprocating in vertical direction and applies adhesive exactly along the areas 16 where the webs are to be interconnected. Numeral 19 denotes a support for the Web- 1 at the place where the pad 18 is operating. According to FIG. 3 adhesive is applied at a place on the web 1 which as viewed in the direction of feed is located ahead of the guide roller 5 where the webs come into contact with each other. This arrangement is suitable if the nature of the paper Web 1 is such that the absorption of the adhesive in this web takes more time.

The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 4-7 is especially suited for fabrication of conical paper sleeves to be mounted on conical cores for bobbins in textile machines where the sleeves must exactly fit the cores which have to be protected against colouring matter when the bobbin thread is being dyed. The sleeves are made from two trapeziform pieces of paper which are to glued together along two opposing edges. The gluing operation requires high accuracy because the sleeves must exactly fit on the bobbin cores.

In FIG. 4, too, the paper webs 1 and 2 are taken from supply rolls 3 and 4, respectively, and are put together over a guide roller 5. A guide roller 20 guides the joined webs ontto a larger roller 21 which serves both as a feed roller and as a support for the webs as adhesive is applied by means of a roller 22 which receives adhesive from a feeder 23 immersed in a container 24 for adhesive. By means of a moistening device 11 the web 2 is moistened before it comes into contact with the web 1. The adhesive is applied to defined areas of the web 1 on the side remote from the web 2. After adhesive has been applied to the joined webs in the manner indicated the webs are fed over a guide roller 25 onto a drying roller 26 which is heated. The guide roller 25 has an adhesiverepellent coasting, such as polytetrafiuoroethylene, to prevent adhesive from sticking to this roller. A roller 27 which forces the joined webs against the drying roller 26 has oppositely extending helical ribs for maintaining the webs in spread condition on the roller 26. A pair of guide rollers 28 and 29 and an additional guide roller 30 guide the webs to form two parallel laterally spaced portions 31, 32 between which there is provided an additional drying device 33 by means of which hot air is blown in opposite directions on the portions 31 and 32 which will be dried still more.

The adhesive transmitting roller 22 has ribs 34 of rubber or other suitable yielding material for applying adhesive to the web 1 along predetermined defined areas. As will be seen from FIG. 6, each rib 34 has two parallel projections 35, 36 each of white has longitudinal groove 37 adapted to receive adhesive from the adhesive feeder 23. Between the projections 35, 36 there is a deeper recess 38 into which adhesive cannot enter. The projections 35, 36 may be ungrooved as shown in FIG. 6a.

FIG. 8 illustrates a part of the paper webs glued together. Numerals 40 and 41 denote areas along which the webs have been glued together after the paper web 1 has been coated with adhesive which has been taken up by the projections 35, 36 and transmitted to the paper web. After the adhesive has dried the sleeves have to be severed from the paper webs by cuts extending between each pair of areas 40 and 41. The cutting lines are indicated by dotted lines 42 to the right in FIG. 8.

The sleeves are severed from the paper Web by means of a punch 43 which by means of guide rods 44 is guided toward and away from a die 45 serving as a support for the webs glued together as shown in the right in FIG. 4 and in FIG. 7.

The punching movement is obtained by means of a punch actuating spring 46 and a cam disc 47. The shape of the cam disc is such that the spring 46 is only momentarily able to actuate the punch. As shown in FIG. 7, the spring 46 which should be strong and act substantially as a firing pin spring is inserted between the die 45 and the enlarged end 48 of one of the guide rods, but can be located in any other suitable manner. The cam disc 47 has a recess 49 and engages circumferentially a cam follower 50 mounted on the other guide rod 44. During rotation of the driven cam disc 47 the cam follower 50 enters the recess 49 for each revolution resulting in that the punch is thrown against the die by means of the spring. The punch has edges 51 which make cuts along the lines 42 in the joined paper webs. The webs can move continuously between the die 45 and the punch because the recess 49 in the cam disc 47 is formed such that the punch will be kept down in contact with the paper webs only very briefly.

In order to advance the paper webs continuously, the rollers 21, 26, 27 and 30 may be driven by a single driving device illustrated in the form of a transmission 52 comprising a driving roller 53 in engagement With the roller 21. A drawing roller 53' driven synchronously with the driving roller 53 draws the paper webs toward the punch.

The construction of the punch may be such that the paper webs are not completely severed and after the punching operation still are in the form of a cohering web which can be wound onto a winding roll 54. As an alternative it is possible to cut the webs completely to sever the intended sleeves therefrom. In this case the separated sleeves can be stacked in plane condition and packaged.

As will be seen from FIG. 8 the entire web is used in the production of the sleeves without any wastage. This is due to the fact that blanks for the conical sleeves are stamped out from the webs along the cutting lines 42 which are positioned such that every second blank has its edge corresponding to the base of the cone located at one longiutdinal edge of the Webs and every other blank has its base edge located at the other longitudinal edge. In FIG. 8 the sleeve blanks oriented in one direction are indicated at '56 and the sleeve blanks oriented in the opposite direction are indicated at 57. After the sleeve blanks have been separated from the webs they can be opened so as to form conical sleeves of the form shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. To facilitate opening of the sleeves the paper webs may be slightly displaced laterally relative each other. To this end the supply rolls 3 and 4 and, of desired, the successive guide rollers may be axially displaced relative each other. Since the paper layers are connected to each other along exactly defined areas having linear edges, the conical shape of the finished sleeve will exactly tit the core of the bobbin.

What I claim is:

1. A method of interconnecting two thin porous paper webs along defined areas, comprising moistening at least References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Woodward 156548 XR Stolle et a1 15 6324 Kaufmann et a1 15 6-284 Case et a1. 156551 Woodward et a1. 156283 Whiting 156-189 6 tReiss et a1 2-243 Meharg 260-293 Brady 22953 Scholle 156253 Defiel 34-155 XR Pufahl 161 148 XR Ash 156313 XR U.S. Cl. X.R. 

